The album that kicked off (kind of) a commercial renaissance for Frank Zappa.
Kronomyth 16.0: Zappa goes prime time.
Somehow, Frank Zappa found a way on Over-Nite Sensation to package his oddball humor and complex arrangements into a commercially palatable package. It was the first Zappa album to go gold, and contained songs (like “Montana”) that could actually be played on FM radio without frightening away listeners. For this reason, AMG rightly refers to this as a “watershed album.” It marked a clear and conscious departure from the complex, often orchestral jazz rock of earlier efforts like Hot Rats and The Grand Wazoo, succinctly summing up the traits that made Zappa so special: the brilliant guitar leads, standout contributions from fellow artists (Jean-Luc Ponty, George Duke, Ruth Underwood), and the perverse sense of humor.
Because folks who might not ordinarily buy this album did, some were shocked to hear lyrics about bestiality (“Dirty Love”), orgasms (“Dinah Moe Humm”), and a Mexican witch who just happens to be breeding a dwarf (“Camarillo Brillo”). However, longtime listeners were used to this sort of thing; after all, is anything on here less tasteful than “Magdalena” or “The Mud Shark?” If the material is a little off color, Frank delivers it in a good-humored growl that is more mischievous than menacing.
What’s most impressive about Over-Nite Sensation is that so much music finds its way into these six-minute tunes without bursting the confines of the standard lyric rock song. The band’s ability to start a track like “Zomby Woof” in a relatively straightforward manner, veer off into extracurricular melodies and solos, and then bounce back to find the original structure still intact is amazing. Some might argue that Underwood, Duke and Ponty are given limited roles in these arrangements, but all the better to hear Frank’s guitar burn up the place on “Dirty Love” and “I’m The Slime.”
Over-Nite Sensation is probably the most accessible entry point for adventurous rock fans to approach the work of Frank Zappa. The guitarist himself was obviously pleased with his newfound ability to write in a more concise format, and continued in this idiom for the remainder of the decade, relegating his experimental side to his unreleased leviathan, Lather (which escaped in drips and drabs over the ‘70s and ‘80s).
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Original LP Version
A1. Camarillo Brillo (4:01)
A2. I’m The Slime (3:35)
A3. Dirty Love (3:00)
A4. Fifty-Fifty (6:08)
B1. Zomby Woof (5:11)
B2. Dinah-Moe Humm (6:05)
B3. Montana (6:37)
All selections written, arranged & conducted by Frank Zappa.
The Players
George Duke (keyboards & synthesizer), Bruce Fowler (trombone), Tom Fowler (bass), Ralph Humphrey (drums), Sal Marquez (trumpet & vocals), Jean-Luc Ponty (violin & baritone violin), Ian Underwood (flute, clarinet, alto & tenor sax), Ruth Underwood (marimba, vibes & percussion), Frank Zappa (guitar & vocals) with Ricky Lancelotti (vocals), Kin Vassy (announcer, vocals). Produced by Frank Zappa; engineered by Barry Keene, Terry Dunavan, Fred Borkgren, Steve Desper; re-mix engineered by Kerry McNabb.
The Pictures
Cover illustration by David B. McMacken. Inside by Cal Schenkel. Photography by Emerson-Loew.
The Plastic
Released on elpee on September 7, 1973 in the US (Discreet, MS 2149), the UK (WEA, K 41000), Germany (Discreet, DIS 41 000) and New Zealand (WEA, MS 2149) with gatefold cover; reached #32 on the US charts (RIAA-certified gold record).
- Re-released on elpee and quadrophonic elpee in the US and Canada (Reprise, MS/MS4-2149) with gatefold cover.
- Re-issued on elpee in 1980 in Brazil (Reprise, 36146) with gatefold cover.
- Re-packaged with Apostrophe’ on 2-for-1 compact disc in 1986 in the US (Rykodisc, RCD 40025).
- Re-issued on cassette in 1989 in the US (Barking Pumpkin, D4 74221).
- Re-issued with Apostrophe’ on 2-for-1 compact disc in 1990 in France (Zappa, CD ZAP 18).
- Re-released on remastered compact disc and cassette in 1995 in the US (Rykodisc, RCD/RAC 10518).
- Re-packaged with Bongo Fury on 2-for-1 compact disc in Russia (Kankard, TOOCD055).
- Re-issued on compact disc in Japan (Rykodisc, VACK-1217).
